Trainee paramedic jobs are offered by many governments and healthcare employers as a way of training up potential paramedics. As paramedics have a relatively high staff turnover into other areas of healthcare, state bodies are aware of the need to train up new paramedics regularly. They are a great way to enter the profession, particularly if you’ve been a long time out of school. Governments and health providers worldwide run trainee paramedic job programs as a way of providing an induction to the rigours of paramedic work, and to assess the suitability of candidates.
Trainee paramedic jobs are created in rotating batches through the year. The intake is determined by each state, but usually ranges from the low teens up to the mid twenties- enough for one decently sized class. Trainee paramedic jobs are offered at the times when College and Universities are finishing their semesters, to appeal to as many students as possible. Applicants submit their information to the assessment body and then undergo a series of tests, which are used to determine their suitability for paramedic work.
Trainee paramedics should have a manual drivers license, a clean criminal record, and be a citizen, or at least a permanent resident, of the country in which they want to take up the trainee paramedic position. It’s expected that most trainee paramedics have a current first aid or advanced first aid certificate.
Trainee paramedics are expected to have a great deal of experience and training in first aid. Their certification needs to be current, and practical experience – a first aid volunteer at camps, festivals, etc, for example – is well regarded.
Administrators also take applicant’s high school education and work experience into consideration. Paramedics need to be able to perform under pressure, make decisions, follow procedures and many other qualities that are honed through normal work life. An outstanding academic record is not strictly necessary, but paramedics need to have comprehensive understanding of English and basic Maths skills, as they need to be able to calculate dosage on the fly.
Trainee paramedics also need to pass rigorous physical tests. While not as demanding as the military, there are still high expectations placed on paramedics in terms of their physical fitness. Being a paramedic is a physically demanding task.
Particularly for paramedics operating on a remote deployment, paramedics will often be at rest, sitting for a long period of time, and then have a lot of physical activity at short notice. Fatigue can make paramedics less effective at their work, so paramedics need to be in reasonable shape to handle the stresses of the job. Paramedics also operate in confined spaces, lifting and twisting to get different tools and medicines, and need to be able to lift and restrain patients when necessary.
Here are the criteria that trainee paramedics are assessed on:
Trainee paramedic jobs are created in rotating batches through the year. The intake is determined by each state, but usually ranges from the low teens up to the mid twenties- enough for one decently sized class. Trainee paramedic jobs are offered at the times when College and Universities are finishing their semesters, to appeal to as many students as possible. Applicants submit their information to the assessment body and then undergo a series of tests, which are used to determine their suitability for paramedic work.
Trainee paramedics should have a manual drivers license, a clean criminal record, and be a citizen, or at least a permanent resident, of the country in which they want to take up the trainee paramedic position. It’s expected that most trainee paramedics have a current first aid or advanced first aid certificate.Trainee paramedics are expected to have a great deal of experience and training in first aid. Their certification needs to be current, and practical experience – a first aid volunteer at camps, festivals, etc, for example – is well regarded.
Administrators also take applicant’s high school education and work experience into consideration. Paramedics need to be able to perform under pressure, make decisions, follow procedures and many other qualities that are honed through normal work life. An outstanding academic record is not strictly necessary, but paramedics need to have comprehensive understanding of English and basic Maths skills, as they need to be able to calculate dosage on the fly.
Trainee paramedics also need to pass rigorous physical tests. While not as demanding as the military, there are still high expectations placed on paramedics in terms of their physical fitness. Being a paramedic is a physically demanding task.
Particularly for paramedics operating on a remote deployment, paramedics will often be at rest, sitting for a long period of time, and then have a lot of physical activity at short notice. Fatigue can make paramedics less effective at their work, so paramedics need to be in reasonable shape to handle the stresses of the job. Paramedics also operate in confined spaces, lifting and twisting to get different tools and medicines, and need to be able to lift and restrain patients when necessary.
Here are the criteria that trainee paramedics are assessed on:
- Manual dexterity and grip strength: fine motor control, placement of delicate objects, fine adjustments.
- Back strength: having a fit and healthy back is of paramount importance for paramedics A significant amount of the challenges paramedics face involve clearing debris, moving patients, often at awkward angles, and getting them onto and off stretchers and ambulances. Having a weak back can lead to injuries that debilitate the paramedic and take a long time to recover from.
- Leg and arm strength: lifting patients and equipment derives most of the power from the legs. Paramedics need reasonable arms strength when moving equipment.
- Cardiovascular fitness: Paramedics will occasionally need to move quickly and potentially over significant distance. They may also need to transport a patient over difficult terrain, e.g. broken ground, staircases, for some time on a stretcher, and need to be able to handle that without getting exhausted.